LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Main Street Association (LMSA) is initiating a plan to revitalize downtown Lakeport based on a National Trust model called The Main Street Program.

“If you want to be involved in building a better downtown Lakeport, have ideas about how that can be done and want to see it get done, then we need you,” said Lakeport Main Street Association Executive Director Carol Hays.

Volunteers are needed to serve on one of four major committees.

These groups will be planning and executing programs and ideas for such activities as festivals and events, public art, building facade improvement, historic preservation, merchant assistance and visitor attraction.

Volunteers can expect to spend six to 10 hours per month.

For more information, see the Main Street FAQ sheet and sign-up form at the Lakeport Main Street Association Web site (www.lakeportmainstreet.com) or contact Carol Hays at 707-263-8843; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Committees are forming now and will begin meeting in March.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – On Saturday, Feb. 26, Zachary Kimbell-Auth, his brother Gabe, and fellow Konocti Christian Academy student Irish Ely will be just a few of the many brave souls taking a plunge for a good cause at the 2011 Polar Bear Plunge.

These polar bear plungers will take a quick dip in the chilly waters of Clear Lake in Lakeside County Park to raise funds for Special Olympics Northern California. They are inviting their friends and family to help.

Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and competition opportunities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

But it is much more than a sports program. It is training for life, empowering these individuals with self-confidence and self-esteem that carries over into their every day lives.

What is most amazing is that Special Olympics is free to all for over 13,000 Special Olympics athletes in Northern California; but it costs approximately $500 to support one athlete's participation in Special Olympics for an entire year.

As team captain Zack Kimbell-Auth is trying to raise $500 (he says $3,000) and has asked his team members to try and raise at least $100 each (or $500). Will you help the Whackadoodle Dragons hit their goal? Here is how you can help:

Visit the team Web site and make a donation. You can make a donation to the team in general, Zachary, Gabe or Irish and it will all count towards our goal. You can find them at www.PolarPlungeLakeCounty.com.

Click on the Whackadoodle Dragon link under team rankings to the right of the page. You can also make your donation to the Whackadoodle Dragons in Honor or Memory of a loved one and it will show on our Honor Roll.

The group will meet at 4:30 p.m. at the Cowpoke Café, 21118 Calistoga Road, Middletown.

Agenda items will include final review and revisions on a transportation planning grant application and letters of support.

For more information e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LUCERNE, Calif. – The Lucerne Friends of Locally Owned Water (Lucerne FLOW) will host its monthly meeting on Saturday, Feb. 19.

The meeting will take place at 11:30 a.m. at Firehouse Pizza, 6232 E. Highway 20 in Lucerne.

The pre-gathering starts at 11 a.m.

The public is welcome.

NORTH COAST – Caltrans has updated a previously issued bulletin on roadwork with additional lane closures in Lake County and around the North Coast.

Included are Mendocino County projects that may impact local commuters.

LAKE COUNTY

Highway 29

– Metal beam guardrail repair at the Saint Helena Creek Bridge will begin Thursday, Feb. 17. Work hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Stewart Dirt and Aggregate of Fairfield.

Highway 175

– Metal beam guardrail repair 3.0 miles east of the Lake/Mendocino County line began Monday, February 14. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Stewart Dirt and Aggregate of Fairfield.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 101

– A pavement repair project from the Doolan Creek Bridge to Reeves Canyon Road will continue. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of travel 24 hours per day from 8 p.m. Sunday through 3 p.m. Friday. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns. Northbound ramps at Route 253/South State Street (Exit 546), Route 222/Talmage Road (Exit 548A), Gobbi Street (Exit 548B), and Perkins Street (Exit 549) as well as southbound ramps at West Road (Exit 557) will be intermittently closed. Motorists will be advised to use an alternate route and may experience minor delays. Contractor – Granite Construction Inc. of Ukiah.

Highway 222

– Replacement of the Russian River Bridge will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays during work hours and five-minute delays at other times. Contractor – CC Myers of Rancho Cordova.

Please keep in mind work on all these projects is weather permitting and subject to change. Caltrans wishes to advise motorists to drive with caution when approaching work areas and to be prepared to stop at traffic control stations.

The Caltrans Traffic Operations Office has reviewed each project and determined that individual project delays are expected to be less than the statewide policy maximum of 30 minutes, unless noted otherwise above.

For information pertaining to emergency roadwork or for updates to scheduled roadwork, please contact the California Highway Information Network (CHIN) at 1-800-GAS-ROAD (1-800-427-7623).

“Bulky items” are defined as items that do not fit – or are not allowed – in curbside bins.

While the program does not allow pickup of concrete, dirt, hazardous materials, paint, pianos, tree stumps, yard debris or trash, items in the Bulky Item Collection Program that can be collected curbside include barbecue grills, furniture, household electronics, sports equipment, windows, mattresses, computers, carpet and padding, refrigerator, stoves and more.

For South Lake Refuse & Recycling and Lake County Waste Solutions customers, a bulky item pickup can be scheduled for one item twice per year or two items one time per year.

Most items are free (mattresses, vacuum cleaners, couch, etc), but large appliances (dishwasher, dryers, water heaters, etc.) are charged a $10 fee, which will be added to your next bill.

Additional pickups or items can be scheduled and a fee will be charged.

Customers of Lakeport Disposal can schedule a free pickup for one item; additional pickups or items can be scheduled at $25.

Although the free program is not yet available in the city of Clearlake, Clearlake Waste Solutions will pick up bulky items for a fee; call for scheduling and costs.

In all areas you must schedule a bulky item pick-up before leaving it at the curb. Dumping appliances, furniture, and garbage is hazardous to the environment, unsightly, encourages more dumping. Additionally it is illegal and significant fines can be levied.

Residents with two or more items also can have their hauler drop-off a small debris or recycling bin for a fee. Haulers are under contract, so only bins from the hauler servicing your area can be dropped off.

If a contractor has been hired to perform work on your property, the contractor can use a bin from your hauler. If you hire someone to haul your debris, make sure you receive a receipt to ensure that the item(s) were disposed of properly.

Small appliances, microwave ovens, computers – items considered “E-Waste” – can never be placed in curbside carts as many contain hazardous and toxic materials including lead, cadmium, beryllium, mercury and brominated flame retardants – all of which cannot be put in the landfill and must be disposed of as hazardous materials.

These items can be dropped off free of charge at Lake County Waste Solutions, South Lake Refuse and Recycling, or the monthly e-waste event sponsored by Goodwill, or can be picked-up as a bulky item.

For more information on the Bulky Item Collection Program, E-Waste or any other question related to recycling, please visit www.recycling.co.lake.ca.us or call the Recycling Hotline at 707-263-1980.

No charge e-waste drop-off locations:

Lake County Waste Solutions

230 Soda Bay Rd., Lakeport

707-234-6400 or 1-888-718-4888

Monday - Saturday

7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

South Lake Refuse & Recycling

16015 Davis St., Clearlake

707-994-8614

Daily

7:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Goodwill Industries

Bruno's Shop Smart

355 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport

First Saturday of each month

8 a.m. - 4 p.m.